All routes by which drugs enter the human body can be divided into two subgroups: parenteral and enteral.

The first includes intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous and others. The latter ensure that the drug enters the human body through the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines. This subgroup includes the oral method. It's like putting a pill on your tongue and swallowing. In addition, there is rectal (through the rectum), sublingual (under the tongue), subbucal (into the space between the cheek and gum) entry of drugs into the body.

Oral administration is like swallowing a drug, which helps it enter the human body in this way, followed by absorption in the stomach and intestines.

Pharmacokinetics

The medicine makes a dizzying flight through the esophagus and enters the stomach, and then the intestines, where it is slowly absorbed over thirty to forty minutes. After absorption, the active principle enters the bloodstream of the portal vein. Next, the blood flow carries the drug to the liver, and then straight to the inferior vena cava, then to the right side of the beating heart and from there to the pulmonary circulation.

Having rushed through a small circle, the medicinal substance is directed through the pulmonary veins to the left side of the beating heart, from where it is carried with arterial blood to the target organs and tissues.

In a similar way, which means orally, liquid and solid dosage forms enter the human body.

Advantages of the method

• Oral administration is simple, convenient and the most physiological. The medicinal substance enters the body in a natural way.
• To use this method, you do not need to specially train personnel. Any patient can use this method independently.
• Oral administration is absolutely safe.

Disadvantages of the method

• The drug substance enters the systemic circulation very slowly and also slowly reaches the target organ.
• Inconsistent absorption rate. It depends on the presence of contents in the intestines and stomach, the degree of their fullness, and the motility of the gastrointestinal tract. With decreased motility, the rate of absorption also decreases.
• Medicines enter the stomach, intestines, orally. This properly exposes them to stomach enzymes, intestinal juices, and later the metabolic enzymes of the liver system. All these enzymes destroy most of the drug before it enters the systemic circulation (for example, nitroglycerin is destroyed by ninety percent when taken orally).
• You cannot use drugs that are poorly absorbed in the intestines and stomach (aminoglycoside antibiotics, for example) or are destroyed there (growth hormone, alteplase, insulin, for example).
• Some medications irritate the intestines and stomach, leading to ulcerative lesions (salicylates, corticosteroids).
• In this way, it will not be possible to administer the drug in the absence of consciousness in the patient (if you only resort to intragastric administration using a tube), when the patient is constantly and continuously vomiting, when there is a tumor in the esophagus, there is massive edema that disrupts the absorption of the drug in the intestine.

Types of diseases for which this method is preferable

The choice of method of administration of the drug depends on the ability of the latter to dissolve in water or non-polar solvents, on the severity of the disease, and on the location of the pathological process.

• For mild/moderate respiratory disease.
• For diseases of the intestines and stomach of any severity.
• For diseases of the heart and blood vessels
• For diseases of soft tissues and skin of moderate/mild severity.
• For diseases of the endocrine system of moderate/mild severity.
• For diseases of the musculoskeletal system of moderate/mild severity.
• For diseases of the mouth, ears, eyes - in severe cases.
• For diseases of the genitourinary system of moderate/mild severity.

Dosage forms taken by mouth

Many medications can be given to the patient orally. These are both tablets and powders, both tinctures and decoctions.

Powders are the simplest dosage form, which is a medicine crushed in a mortar (coffee grinder). When taking the powder orally, it is better to drink it with the required amount of mineral or plain water. Powders are rarely used in medical practice.

Infusions and decoctions are often found medicinal forms that are prepared by water extract from medicinal raw materials of plant origin. Infusions and decoctions do not last long and quickly deteriorate. They need to be stored in the refrigerator for no more than two days.

Tinctures are water-alcohol, alcohol-ether and alcohol extracts, without the use of heat treatment, prepared from medicinal raw materials. The dosage is made in drops, which can be diluted in a small amount of water before taking. Their difference from infusions and decoctions is that tinctures can retain their therapeutic effect for a long time.

Syrups are a dosage form convenient for children, which is a mixture of a drug and a concentrated sugar solution. Store in a glass container, closed after boiling.

Tablets are oral medications of oval, round or other shape. As a rule, biconvex. They are produced by pressing the medicine using special machines. Convenient to use, retain their properties for a long time, portable. The taste of the medicine in them is not so noticeable.

Conclusion

The oral method is simple and convenient, easy to use and does not require special preparation. Allows you to easily control the intake of the drug. The doctor just needs to write a prescription and the patient will continue treatment on his own.